Apparatus for and method of manufacturing springs



c. H.. PETERSON.- 1,869,501

. APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SPRINGS Aug. 2, 1932.

Filed March 14, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet Inventor: CA /Q1. PETERSON,

M fi/ #flO/ 'neys.

Aug. 2, 1932. c. H. PETERSON 1,869,501

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SPRINGS Filed March 14, 1932 3Sheets-Sheet 2 bwenior:

Aug. 2, 1932. cJH. PETERSON 1,869,501

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SPRINGS Filed March 14, 1932 3Sheets-Sheet I5 lnuenfo CHE/- H PETEEESOA/J Patented Aug. 2, 1932 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE CARL H. PETERSON, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS,ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN STEEL AND WIRE COMPANY OF NEW JERSEY, ACORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURINGSPRINGS Application filed March 14,

This invention relates to apparatus for and method of manufacturingsprings, and more particularly to anapparatus for and method of forminghook ends on coiled springs, and has for one of its objects theprovision of apparatus capable of being attached to substantially all ofthe ordinary universal coiling machines now in general use.

Another object is to provide anapparatus and method by which the hookends may be automatically formed on coiled springs while said springsarebein formed on the universal coilers, thereby eliminating the separateoperation which has been generally employed in formed such ends.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a coil forming machine having my inventionapplied thereto.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Figures 3 to 6, inclusive, show the successive steps of forming the hookend on the coiled spring.

Figure 7 shows the completed spring. Referring more particularly to thedrawings, the numeral 2 designates the portion of the frame of astandard universal coiling machine, which machine is provided with theusual mandrel 3 and feed rolls 4 by which the wire from which the springis formed is fed to the forming mandrel 3. The coiling machine isprovided with a shaft 5 on which are mounted a plurality of cams 6, 7and 8. The shaft 5 is adapted to be operated through suitable driveconnections (not shown), and

is interlocked with the main machine drive gagement with the cam 6 by aspring 16. As

the high point of the cam 6 engages the roller 15 the lever 13 will berocked about the shaft 14, thereby rocking the lever 10 through the1932. Serial No. 598,746.

link connection 12 and moving the cutting tool or die 8 upwardly intoengagement with .the preformed spring on the mandral 3 so 19 is adaptedto move down and engage the half coil which is free of the die 18 andforce said half coil downwardly into engagement with a die face 20 onthe die 18, thereby forming a hook portion from the half coil which ispositioned substantially on a line parallel with the longitudinal axisof the spring.

The die 18 is carried by a reciprocating bar member 21 mounted in aguide block 22. The bar 21 is provided with a pin 23 pro-' jectingthrough a slot 24in the guide 22 which serves toprevent displacement ofthe bar 21 from the guide 22 and to limit the reciprocatory movement ofthe bar. "A rocking lever 25is pivotally mounted on the frame 2 of-themachine, and carries an anti-friction roller 26 intermediate its. endswhich is adapted to be engaged by the cam 7 to force the lower end ofthe bar 25 into engagement with the bar 21, and thereby moves the bar 21and its die 18 upwardly into engagement with the completed coils of thepreformed length of spring. An adjusting screw member 27 is mounted inthe lower end of the lever 25 and is adapted to beadjusted toward andaway from the bar 21 to vary the length of stroke of the bar 21 relativeto the mandrel 3.

The die 19 is carried in of a bar 29 which is mounted forreciprocatorymovement in a guide 30 on the frame 2 of the machine. The bar 29 isadapted to be moved toward and away from the mandrel 3 by means of acrank lever 31 mounted in a suitable bearing 32, and having one endprovided with a head portion 33 the head end 28' die member 18 nextmoves upwardly so as to.

lever 38 by a spring 36, an

.machine having a which is engaged in a recess 34in the bar 29 and theother end of which is connected by an adjustable link member 35 to arocking lever 36 pivotally mounted on the shaft 14. The lever 36 isprovided with a vertically adjustable pin member 37 which is adapted tobe engaged by a second rocking lever 38 pivotally connected to the frame2 of the "machine. The lever 38 is provided with an anti-friction roller39 adapted to beengaged by the cam member 8. The pin member 37 isadapted to be adjusted verti- Cally in the lever 36 so as to be engagedby varlous points in the length of the lever 38 and thus var the strokeof the lever 36 and the die mem er 19.

The lever 36 is normally ur ed toward the the lever 38 is normally urgedtoward the cam member 8 bly means of a spring 38.

11 carrying out the method of this invention with the apparatus abovedescribed, a length of spring is first coiled on the mandrel 3. Thecutting die is then operated to cut off the short length of preformedspring, leaving approximately two and one-half coils of completed springon the mandrel. The

grip the two complete coils of preformed spring, leaving the one-halfcoil free, the die 19 then moves downwardl and forces the half coil overthe end of t e mandrel 3 and into engagement with the die face 20 of thedie 18, thus positioning the half coil in the form pf ahooksubstantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the spring. Afterthe hook has thus been, formed the dies 18 and 19 return to their normalor neutral position and the coiling mechanism continues to operate toform the length of spring desired plus approximately two and one-halfcoils to be used on the next succeeding spring, after which the coilingmechanism is momentarily stopped while the cutting off tool againoperates to shearoff a completed spring and complete the cycle ofoperations.

While I have shown and described one specific embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limitedthereto since various modifications may be made without departin fromthe scope of my invention, as define in the appended claims.-

I claim:

1. The combination with a spring coiling forming mandrel, of means forcutting off. short lengths of the spring as formed, said 'means beingpositioned and operated so as to leave approximately two and one-halfcoils of preformed s ring on the mandrel, a die member mova le towardsaid 1gfiandrel and adapted to clamp the comple drel, and a secondmovable toward said mandrel and cooper g with a said first coils againstsaid manfor cutting off short' lengths of the spring as formed, saidmeans being positioned andoperated so as to leave at least one andonehalf coils of preformed spring on the mandrel, a diemember movabletoward said mandrel and adapted to clamp the complete coil against saidmandrel, and a second die member movable toward said mandrel and coop;erating with said first named die to bend the preformed half coil downinto a position substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of thespring to form a hook, and cam operated means for automaticallyoperating said cutting ofi means and said die members.

3. The combination witha spring coiling machine having a formingmandrel, of a reciprocable cutting off tool for cutting off shortlengthsof the spring as it is formed on said mandrel, said tool beingpositioned and timed in its operation to leave at least one and one-halfcoils of preformed spring on said mandrel, a reciprocating die membermovable toward said mandrel and provided with a clamping surface adaptedto clamp the complete coil of the spring against said mandrel, and adieface portion, a second reciprocating die member movable toward saidmandrel and provided with a die face adapted to engage and force thehalf coil from said mandrel and into engagement with the die face ofsaid first named dic member to form a hook portion.

.4. The combination with a spring coiling machine having a formingmandrel, of a reciprocable cutting off tool for cuttingofl short lengthsofthe spring as it is formed on said mandrel, said tool being positionedand timed in its operation. to leave at least one and one-half coils ofpreformed spring on said mandrel, a. reciprocating die member movabletoward said mandrel and rovided with a clamping surface adapte to clampthe complete coil of the spring agalnst said'mandrel and a die'faceportion, a second reciprocating die member movable toward said mandreland provided with a die face adapted to en age and force the half coilfrom said manfrel and into engagement with the die face of said firstnamed die member to form a hook portion, and camoperated lever and linkmechanism for automatically operating said cutting off tool and said diemembers 5. The method of forming coiled springs having an integral hookon one end thereof which consists in coiling a portion of the spring,gripping said preformed portion of sprmg, en 1 the endmost coil of thespring down into as ng approximately one-half of my hand.

- spring,

position approximately parallel with the longitudinal axis of the sprincontinuing to coil the spring to a greater ingththan that desired forthe finished spring, and then cutting off the preformed spring.

6. The method of forming coileds rings having an integral hook on oneend t ereof which consists in coiling a portion of the gripping saidpreformed portion of" spring, ending approximately one-half of theendmost coil of the spring down into a 1; position approximatelyparallel with the longitudinal axis of the spring, continuing to coilthe spring to a greater length than that desired for 'the finishedspring, and then cutting oil the preformed spring, leaving a shortlength of preformed spring from which the hook end of the next spring isto be formed. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set CARL H. PETERSON.

